Saturday, December 28, 2013

Vintage Style: Inspiration and a 1950s Dress

I feel like I've mentioned my grandmother in just about every post
so far, but what can I say. My grandma's style (both retro and
currently) is a huge inspiration for me! This dress is from 1952 and
I've heard that it's the dress that my grandma was wearing when my
grandpa fell in love with her!

Everything
about this dress is my favorite part. The blues and greens are
incredibly bright and eye catching; the pattern is flattering and
carefully detailed; the slight rouching on the neckline is the perfect
touch (and holds the dress up nicely); and the cut is similar to a fit and flare without a noticeable flare. One of the best parts of the dress is the quality. The
pleating (although barely visible here) lets the dress out subtly and
makes a huge difference while you're wearing it. There has been very
close attention paid to the cut, stitching and thickness of the dress -
clearly enough that it has survived in perfect quality for over sixty
years! It's these kinds of touches that make vintage dresses the perfect
staple in anyone's wardrobe.

I
paired this dress with some other classic staples. My necklace is made of thick
pearls and is one long (twenties style!) strand that I wrapped around my
neck a few times. This matches my hidden pearl earrings and
t-strap heels. The vintage inspired t-straps are my go to heel for any
slightly formal or very formal occasion and add a vintage-y flair to anything they're
paired with.

I
can picture my grandmother (and ladies in dresses alike) attending
parties and weddings in this dress and having a ball on the dance floor!
This got me thinking about vintage formal attire, and I remembered a
photo my mom recently found.

Here is a great photograph of my grandma and grandpa
at a wedding just before they got married, so most likely around 1954 or 1955. As you can see, I got pretty lucky with my gene pool! My grandma is wearing a chunky pair of clip on earrings and a beautiful pillbox hat to go with her short sleeved jacket and ruffled dress top. And let's not forget about the fantastic diamond color block tie donned by my grandpa!

These two set the bar pretty high and are the perfect pair for my vintage inspiration - who do you get your vintage inspiration from?